A tzitzit garment is a four cornered garment with specially braided strings or fringes, known as “tzitzit,” attached to each corner that Jewish males are required to wear according to Jewish law, and that observant Jewish men have worn since ancient times. The body of the tzitzit garment is traditionally constructed of a basic material such as wool or cotton that fits either as a simple four cornered garment with a hole cut out for the head to pass through, thereby allowing the garment to loosely drape down on the wearer's torso, or as a sleeveless undershirt style garment with four corners and tzitzit strings (e.g., fringes) attached to each bottom corner.
Some Jewish males choose not to wear traditionally constructed loose fitting tzitzit garments for various reasons. Tzitzit garments constructed in the traditional loose design of simple materials like cotton or wool are incompatible with a modern aesthetic, appear bulky contributing to a creased or wrinkled appearance, and can feel cumbersome and uncomfortable under some conditions such as in warm weather or while exercising.
Observant Jewish male athletes, in particular, experience many inconveniences when donning traditionally constructed tzitzit garments. For example, for the wearer who engages in sport or physical activity, traditionally constructed tzitzit garments worn as undergarments are bulky, may not allow for the freedom of movement necessary when participating in sports or strenuous activity, and can be too hot when worn in indoor facilities or in warm weather, therefore leading to unpleasant odors, skin chafing and other irritating skin conditions.
Moreover, athletes are often bound by league or gym regulations which specify the types of jerseys or clothing that are permissible and these specifications often do not allow for the inclusion of traditional undergarment tzitzit garments. Additionally, traditional tzitzit garments worn under an outer layer often hinder athletic performance because their added bulk restricts the wearer's body movement.
Some Jewish athletes who wear tzitzit garments during training resort to various methods to try to lessen the tzitzit's negative impact on their performance. For example, when Tamir Goodman played professional basketball in Israel he used tape to narrow the garment's width between his neck and shoulder so that the material would not impede his shooting form. Finally, the tzitzit garment constructed in the traditional design and from traditional materials can become damaged when exposed to conditions that are incompatible with the intended use of the fabric and garment. For example, wool and cotton garments can lose their shape, become stained, faded or discolored, retain unpleasant odors when exposed to repeated bodily movements and excessive sweat, and can chafe or irritate the wearer's skin.